Influence For Today's Coaches

Will you sign or take a player with outstanding skill, but with less than favorable character? Have you encountered this situation before? What are three character traits you must have before a player joins your team? What challenges will a player with questionable character create for you and your players? Do you rate character as you observe a potential player in a game, or just their skill?

What pressures are your players working through today? Not just within the game or practice, how about outside pressure. How can some players seem so calm in tense moments? How can others fall apart? How did they get this way? Where does it originate? Can you help them? How have you dealt with this in the past? What worked? Here's our thoughts on doing all you can to help.

Have you dealt with conflicts between team leaders and teammates? Do you just deal with it one situation at a time? Do your team leaders know what you expect? Do you back them unconditionally? Have you trained your team leaders? What does that include? Here are some thoughts to consider.

What are your expectations of your assistant coaches? Are players confused by mixed messages from different coaches? Would your assistants be able to function without you? What are their responsibilities at practice and a game? What are your top three priorities when hiring an assistant coach?

What mentality do you expect from your players? Is it the same regardless of the position they play? Do they know what you expect? How can you help them develop the mindset needed? Are you able to convince them that a mistake doesn't define their intent or effort? Can they shake free from a bad game, a bad moment? Can you relate it to a career or professional job? Have you defined 3-5 mental traits they need for their position on the field?

Do you work to be relevant for your players? Is it a high priority? What would you include in the components of relevance? Is it trends, music, current events, technology and lingo? Should it include other areas? Do leadership components suffer at the expense of trying to be so relevant? Is that your focus? What would players say they expect and need from you most as a leader and coach? Could trying to be so relevant damage your credibility?

Do you feel the need to shout instructions continuously during a game? Is it for the players or does it help you? What if you weren't at the game, what would your players do? Are you able to let them work a situation out or make an independent decision? Could hinge on your team whether they're young or a veteran club, but at some point.........................

What adjustments will you make to your coaching plans, style and implementation with a pandemic? What will you expect from your players? What if your season is cancelled? What message will you share with your players? Will you be able to convince players to follow the health and safety guidelines?

What is essential in building a team? What challenges will you face as you grind through a season? What would your definition be of a coach who can finish. Of Builder, Grinder and Finisher, which one best describes you? Why?

Have you considered moving to another school? Is it your dream to coach at the highest level? Is it the right time? Why would you leave your current school? What challenges have you faced?Will a move solve your problems? What new challenges might you face in a move? Have you considered many challenges have no boundaries based on level of play?

What is your coaching status? Will you stay in that lane? Who can help you move up? Who is the most successful coach in your conference or area? Why are they successful? Have you talked with them or asked what's their secret? What former or admired coaches could give you insight?

What positives can you draw from last season? Would you consider it a success? What do you hope to accomplish this season? What would your players say about last season? Should we make wholesale changes? How can we nurture young players early in their career?

Who is influencing your players ability to play? What messages are they sending? Will it impact your player's game? Are they listening to someone else more than you? How can you deal with it? What messages are you sending from the sidelines? Do your words have meaning? How will you approach a player who is independent in all they do, regardless of what you say? If the parent is the cause, what will you do?

Do you award an MVP to your team? Has it ever caused dissension? Did it change the player in a positive or negative way? What was the reaction by teammates? How would you deal with an MVP who's attitude drastically changes in a bad way? Do you feel comfortable handing out that award? How can you help an MVP who's clearly indifferent with teammates?

What will be different this coming season? What will be the same? What are your team goals? What do you hope to accomplish? What's the key to reaching your goals? How would you describe your team? What's the key to your leadership being effective?

How are you working with your team during the Coronavirus? How would you rate their emotional stability? What is their biggest question or concern? Are you in contact with them weekly or more often? Have you given them assignments, tasks or challenges to complete? Are your leaders assisting? What ideas do they have? Do you feel you need to have all the answers? What is your mental outlook through all this?

What coaching decisions outside the game are most challenging for you? Are you able to hold all players accountable? Have you ever delayed accountability to allow a player to play? How did other players react to that decision? Are you consistent in your decisions?

Have you been confronted after a game? Blamed for a loss? Criticized over a starting lineup? Second Guessed on a substitution? Most of us would answer yes. It goes with the territory as a leader in sports or business. How will you react? Are young coaches prepared to face this challenge? Do we lose potential great coaches in the process? How is your school or club grooming new coaches to be prepared for these possibilities?

Wish you all the best as you work through personal challenges of this global virus with family, team and those who depend on you. I pray you are safe.

Are your players able to work through mistakes? What emotions are they feeding? Are they positive or negative? What steps can they take to reset their thoughts? Are you as their coach contributing to negative emotions? How do you react to their play when its less than stellar?